vided our whole system, or some other founded on similar principles, be adopted early, and steadily pursued. It is thought absurd for adults to subject themselves to penances for their sins; and why should it not be right to subject children to as little of this sort as may be, and to endeavour, as early as may be, to bring them to a system analogous to that which we Protestants think the right one for grown-up people? Their minds are capable of being wrought upon by the same means which God has appointed for men in general; and these means cannot be too early employed, and cannot too soon acquire that preponderance in a system of education which may make them supersede the use of the rod; a weapon necessary, in a degree, for managing brute animals, and man also, so far as his nature resembles theirs; but it is the great business of Christian education to exalt his nature to cherish that new nature implanted by grace in his soul, and as speedily as possible to subjeet him to a dis. cipline suited to the state of heart we wish to encourage. "Do not suppose, though we endeavour to banish punishment as much as may be, that our system is one of indulgence. It is a main part of it to establish habits of resolute, though cheerful, self-denial in all points in which duty calls for sacrifices. We always hold up the principle of acting on grounds of right and wrong, and not on those of inclination, except in points purely indifferent, which are brought within a narrow compass. Nothing is ever granted to mere entreaty; and we have none of that begging and whining which shows generally a laxity of principle, and always a defective system of education, wherever it is practised. "In this way we endeavour to promote, in our own children, that hardness' which all the soldiers of Christ must learn to endure. But, then, this plan is sweetened by as much affection, affability, cheerfulness, and desire to make our children happy within the bounds of duty, as we can pour into it, consistently with the great truth, which is often inculcated, that neither man nor child must live for pleasure, but that his object and employment must be work-the work which God has given him to do; and a considerable part of which (especially in the case of a child) is to prepare for doing better work in future years. "As to the passages of Scripture which you mention, I own they do not alter my view of this case. It is most true, that the rod must not be spared' in the cases in which it ought to be used; but then comes the question I have been discussing in this letter, What are those cases? Indeed, the frequency and general complexion of the passages to which you refer would lead one to suppose that Solomon conceived that cases of this kind would be very common; and, in short, that corporal punishment would be a leading feature in a right education. But it is to be remembered under what dispensation he livedunder one which was comparatively low-one in which there was much of beggarly element; much that was permitted because of the hardness of the hearts of those who lived under it. Should we not expect, that under such a dispensation, and for the use of such a people as the Jews many things would be enjoined not well accommodated to our times; and, in particular, that the approved system of education would partake less of what is (in a spiritual sense) refined and elevated, than ought to enter into the nurture and admonition of the Lord,' under the blaze of the Gospel-light most graciously vouchsafed to us? This general view might be illustrated and corruborated by many things in the New Testament. "May God bless us in all we do for our children! The concluding lines of Cowper's Task may well be applied, in their spirit, to this subject of education. But all is in His hand whose praise I seek. To charm His ear, whose eye is on the heart; "I remain, dear Sir, "Yours very truly, &c." No. II. List of Texts referred to at page 87. MATT. iii. 7-12; iv. 4, 7, 10, 11; v. 2—12, 21-24, 38-48; Mark, ii. 21, 22; vi. 45-52; vii. 20-23'; viii. 33–58; ix. 43 Luke, i. 32, 33, 68–80; ii. 10-14; 29-35; iii. 10-14; iv. John, i. 1-14, 47; iii. 1-3, 5, 6, 14- 21; iv. 10, 13, 14, 23, Acts, i. 11, from "ye;" ii. 41-47; iv. 19, 20; vii. 54-60; Rom. i. 16; ii, 28, 29; vi. 1-14; xi. 33-36; xii; xv. 1 : 1 Cor. i. 17-31; ii. 2—5, 12-14; iii. 18-20; x. 12, 13, 31 2 Cor. iv. 16-18; v; x. 4, 5; xii. 7-10. Gal. v. 19-26; vi. 1—5, 7—9, 14—16. Eph. i 15-23; ii. 1-10; iii. 14-21; iv. 1–6, 17—32; v. Phil. i. 9-11; ii 1-18; iii 7-16; iv. 4—9, 11—13. Colos. i. 9-23; iii. 1-17. 1 Thess. ii. 1-12; iii. 7-13; iv. 1. to "sanctification" in 3 1 Tim. vi. 6—16. 2 Tim. i. 7-12; ii. 11-13; iii. 14-17; iv. 6—8. Tit. ii. 3-5, 11—15; iii 1—8. Hleb. i.; ii.; iv. 12–16; xii. 1–14; xiii. 20, 21. Jam. i. 2-8, 13, 14, 26, 27; iii. 17; iv. 1—4, 6—8, 13—16 1 Pet. i.; ii. 1-3, 18-25; iii. 1-4, 7-16; v. 5-11. 2 Pet. i. 5-8. 1 John, i. 3—10; ii. 1-6, 9—11, 15-17; iii. 1-3, 14—18, Jude, 20, 21, 24, 25. Rev. i. 4-8; ii. 2-" churches" in 11; iii. 1-11, 14, 22: v. 9, from "for" 14; vi. 12-17; vii. 9-17; xi. 15-18; xv. 1—4; xix. 5—16; xx. 11—15; xxi. 3—8, 27; xxii. 12—17. Extract of an original letter written by a Lady of Boston to her friend. "When I returned from your house last week, I felt disposed to call myself to account for the freedom with which I had spoken on the necessity of restraining those infant passions which were then disturbing your peace, and to fear that I had offended you, or at least made you think me very opinionated and presuming. I have seen you since, and the kindness of your manner banished the fear of your anger, and has even encouraged me to put your candour and patience to a still severer trial. It is vain to apologize; believe (if you can) that no confidence in my own wisdom, no love of dictating to others, influences me to write. Mingled with esteem, my heart is full of gratitude and love toward you; most willingly would I show it, by striving according to my humble ability to promote your true happiness. I have often observed, with a feeling of acute pain, that the fondness of your maternal affection is leading you into errours, which I fear you are not sufficiently aware of. Your lovely and promising child is an object of delight to all who know her; but, my dear friend, you already find that with the gold is mingled a base alloy. Let not the word offend you -the knowledge of the disease is more than half the remedy. Sentimentalists may talk of the charms of infant innocence, and philosophers rave of the dignity of human nature; but you and I are christians, and are not bound to form our opinions and regulate our practice by any other standard. The infallible word of God teaches us, that the human heart is corrupt, and rebellious, and prone to evil, as the sparks fly upward. These truths we readily believe, and I hope deeply feel; but, with regard to our children, do we not act as if we doubted their reality shut our eyes to the inference, hoping, that the violence is transient, or the selfishness accidental; or that reason, as it acquires strength, will correct all that is amiss? But we forget that the taint is not acquired, but inherent, that it operates to pervert the understanding, as well as to corrupt the heart, and that reason, when it arrives at the maturity of its strength, and is cultivated to its utmost perfection, is (unaided by divine grace) but a slave in bondage to the passions. Though you may not perhaps have viewed the subject in so strong a light, I believe you will acquiesce in the truth of these things; and it is not so much in the error of judgment, that your danger lies, as in want of resolution to subdue the pleadings of maternal fondness, and look with a steady eye to the real good and welfare, the final happiness of your child. In this, as in every other part of our christian warfare, we should apply to Him, whose grace is sufficient for us, and who will undoubtedly bless our humble and zealous endeavours to bring our children up for him. Self-will is the Hydra you have to combat; it must be watched in all its doublings and pursued to all its winding places; it will show itself in as many forms as the fabled Proteus-but maternal vigilance will detect it in all, and if you suffer yourself to be baffled in one instance, you only prepare for yourself new conflicts. Let not this discourage you; make the experiment, and you will find how soon the violence that is met by firmness will subside. If you are really determined, severity will soon become unnecessary, for I never yet saw the child who could not read a mother's resolution in her eye. Will you trust my experience for the fact, that until you have attained a complete ascendency over your child's spirit, it is in vain to expect improvement even in knowledge. No solid acquirements can be made without steady attention and laborious efforts, and no child is capable of such attention or such efforts, who has not been inured to habits of self-control by early submission to legitimate authority. The bright intelligence of your dear little girl is all in your favour; she will soon see the motive of your conduct, and repay with tenfold affection every effort you make for her good; she will |